
making comparisons between States, allowance must be made for varia- 
tions in period lengths. The two patterns of hunter participation are 
' {llustrated by the 1960-61 data from Minnesota and Alabama. The season 
was 40 days long in each State. Fifty-eight percent of the Minnesota 
hunters, but only 40 percent of the Alabama hunters, reported hunting 
during the first week of the season. After the first week, proportional 
participation in hunting declined more rapidly in Minnesota than in 
Alabama. During the last period, only 11 percent of the Minnesota 
hunters, but 27 percent of the Alabama hunters were in the field. Similar 
differences were shown in a comparison of hunter participation in Vermont 
and Florida. 
The accuracy of figures in this report is affected both by sampling 
error and by reporting bias (misreporting). Correction for the last 
source of error has been carried out by the methods which have been 
employed for several years. In a general way, the statistical reliability 
of the report is greater for States with higher hunter numbers and kills, 
and for species where the larger bags are recorded. In contrast, the 
reliability of the estimate is certain to be considerably less where 
fewer hunters, or lower kills are involved, or where hunting for a species 
is concentrated at relatively few points within a State. An example of 
the last is the Canada goose kill in certain States. 

1/ Atwood, E. L. Relation of season length to hunting kill in the 
Atlantic Flyway. Preliminary report. Bureau of Sport Fisheries 
and Wildlife. January 1961. 
